Training Camp Instructors

Instruction will be headed by Nic Gregoriades (Roger Gracie's 1st Black Belt, European Champion, South African Champion, Abu Dhabi Veteran). Other instructors present will include Alex Aftandilians (Gokor's Team Hayastan) & Antonio Almeida (Brazilian Top Team).

This will be an amazing training experience, with post-training Brazilian-style barbecues and bonfire gatherings on the Mendocino coast. Camp is open to students and instructors of all backgrounds and affiliations. Limited to only 24 participants--scroll down to register now.

Camp Overview

This intensive no-gi Submission Grappling Camp includes 7-hours total instruction (3 ½ hours Saturday training and 3 ½ hours Sunday training).

We begin our Saturday training session at 11:00am and continue until 2:30pm. After our Saturday training session, the group will come together for a Brazilian-style barbecue and bonfire gathering at Russian Gulch State Park, which offers some of the most incredible views of Mendocino's rugged coast. There will be plenty of time to eat, relax, and explore before resting up for Sunday's training session.

We begin our Sunday training session at 9:00am and continue until 12:30pm. From there, we gather for an afternoon barbecue lunch and bonfire, with plenty of time to review grappling concepts, hang out, and experience another amazing stretch of the Mendocino coast.

What Sets us Apart - Other than our incredible Mendocino Coast Location?

We are capping the registration at only 24 participants to maintain an extremely productive and intimate training experience. Everyone will have an opportunity to work closely with Nic and the other instructors. Instruction will be in-depth and coaching will be hands-on.

Many times, we see open seminars advertised as “limited space only”, when in fact they are capped at as many as 70, 80, or even 100 participants for only one instructor.  You would probably benefit yourself more by staying home and watching YouTube instructional videos. Here, we will be limiting the camp to only 24 students--Nic will be running the bulk of the grappling instruction, but Alex Aftandilians (Gokor’s Team Haystan) and Antonio Almeida (Brazilian Top Team) will also be present to help and share their insights.

We wanted to offer something different. We wanted to offer something that is not simply about being in the presence of a “star grappler”, but more importantly about creating a genuine grappling camp for those serious about their training and for those interested in cross-training with like-minded individuals from different schools or affiliations.  We promise that this will be an incredible training experience and, hopefully, it will also be the beginning of a new community-building effort in the grappling and jiu jitsu community.

Nic Gregoriades, BJJ Black Belt

Nic was the recipient of the first ever black belt awarded by Roger Gracie. He recently took Gold at the 2009 Abu Dhabi  BJJ European Pro Trials, and will be representing Europe in 2010 at the Abu Dhabi World Pro Cup. Nic's other accomplishments include:

British Open Grappling Champion 2009, Absolute Submission Fighting Champion 2009 and 2008, Gracie Invitational Champion 2007 and 2006, Grappler of the year – France 2007, Paris Open Champion 2006, and South African National Grappling Champion 2005.

Nic is the founder of Gracie-Barra South Africa. He is also the creator of the popular BJJ site The Jiu-Jitsu Brotherhood. Today, he teaches, trains and competes out of the Roger Gracie Academy in London. 

Nic on the cover of Martial Arts Illustrated.

“If you ever get the chance to train BJJ under Nic Gregoriades take it with ‘both hands’. Apart from being exceptionally good at BJJ he is a brilliant coach who understands principles of movement to a very high degree.”

David Webb - Owner, Tokon Academy

  Mendocino coast, Russian Gulch.

  Mendocino coast sunset .

Nic Gregoriades - Roger Gracie's 1st Blackbelt to lead Training Camp

“Nic is an excellent teacher and fighter who understands jiu-jitsu on a deep level. I trust him to teach the art to the hundreds of students at my academy.”

Roger Gracie - 6 times Black belt World Champion

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“If you ever get the chance to train BJJ under Nic Gregoriades take it with ‘both hands’. Apart from being exceptionally good at BJJ he is a brilliant coach who understands principles of movement to a very high degree.”

David Webb - Owner, Tokon Academy

Check out the BJJ Legends Magazine Feature Article on Grappler's Retreat training:

The beach at Russian Gulch Creek Canyon.

Focus of Instruction

Instruction will be no-gi submission grappling. Numerous technical strategies for submission grappling will be covered: techniques will be shown with attention to detail, and due to the small group size, students will receive hands-on coaching.

Beyond simply showing techniques, however, the instruction will be coupled with Nic's unique conceptual approach to the art. Principle themes of Nic's conceptual instruction will include:

(1) Effective hip movement for grappling

(2) Creating angles for attack & defense

(3) Breathing and flow

(4) High percentage knee-bars

Alex Aftandilians (Gokor's Team Hayastan) will take over instruction for a short period of time on each day. He will focus on the following technical areas:

(1) Kesa Gatame (scarf hold): proper positioning, setting up combination attacks, and escapes when held in the scarf hold.

(2) Leg-locks: effective entries, maintaining position, finishing the leg-lock against a skilled defending opponent, and chain attacks.

 
Nic Gregoriades, Roger Gracie's 1st black belt.

“Nic is an excellent teacher and fighter who understands jiu-jitsu on a deep level. I trust him to teach the art to the hundreds of students at my academy.”

Roger Gracie - 6 times Black belt World Champion

Alex (center) with Gokor and Gene LeBell